Well apparatus.



' M.- E. LAYN-E. Y WELLv 'APPARAIus. A APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 28, l9l7.'

l I 2 s EETS- EET l' Patented Apr.. 8, 1919.

15M. E. LAYNE. A4-WELL APPARATUS.. APPLICATIONFILED SEPT. 28. 19H.

` Patented `Apr'. 8, 1919.

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WELL arialrna'rus.v

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratehtedapr. s, 1919.

Application led September 28, 1917. Serial No. 193,747.

To all 'whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, MAHLoN E. LAYNE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Memphis, in the county of Shelby andState of Tennessee, have invented certain new and useful Improvements yin IVell Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to oil or water'wells and has particular reference to the manner in which the fluid is separated from the fluid bearing strata and filtered prior to its entry into .the well pipe of the pump.

The particular object of the invention is t0 eliminate the more or less mechanical straining of the fluid so common in present practice where metal screens of variouskinds are used, and to substitute therefor a separation of rately described asa'filtration thereof. In present constructions the screening element is generally composed of a supporting frame, such, for example, as a perforated pipe or casing, around which `is wound a helix of screening wire. My invention in'- volves in place of the above mechanical screen, the use of gravel and sand or some other suitable filtering material through which the fluid is directed before withdrawal, and which accomplishes the separation thereof by a more or less natural filtering process, the velocity of the flow being low through the filtering material but the available area provided for separation being made much greater than in constructions.

above described. My invention also contemplates the provision` of a chamber for collecting the fluid after it is filtered and before it enters the withdrawing means or I suction pipe lof the pump. But to more clearly understand my invention, reference should now be had tothe drawings wherein I have illustrated it as applied to a water well. Y

^ Figure 1 is a vertical section illustrating my invention taken at a point in a well where production is encountered; Figs. 2

, and 3 are perspective views ofa principalv element of my invention; Fig. 4 is an illustration of a detail of the construction; Fig.

5 illustrates a modification ofthe invention; and Fig. 6 illustrates still another modification.

Referring to Fig. 1, I have indicated the the numeral 1.` Around it dicated as entireties by the letterv A, the

'the fluid which is more accuspecific construction of which is now tb-be described. Any desired numberv of these members'A may be used at a given point in the well, the conditions of service and the depth of the water bearing stratum in which they are placed being the determining factors. scribed as pans having a downwardly projecting flange at the periphery, the pan-like These members A may best be de-v depressions being indicated by the numeral 2 and the flange byv3. The pipe l passes through these pans at their deepest portion at which point they are' provided with a downwardly projecting flange 4 for attachment to the pipe. Immediately above the bottom of thepans are formed, in the pipe, l

perforations or holes 5 for entry of the water. Just above these holes, grates 6 are placed in the pans upon which the filtering material rests. 'The filtering material' 6a is partially shown only in the upper pan of Fig. 1. The space or chamber 6b thus formed in the bottom ofthe pan constitutes what I have termed a pre-collecting or sep'- arating chamber, which has vfor its outlet the openings 5 `into tlie well pipe of thev pump and which has over its entry portion the grate 6 and the filtering material 6a. In

order tobind the members A together, 'lugs 7 on the upper face thereof and lugs 8 on the lower face are provided, the lugs on adjacent faces being adapted to be bolted together. The downwardly projecting lugs 8 have a portion 9 adapted to serve as retaining members for the grates, against which' such portionv abuts.

The flanges 3 of the members A aremade to extend far enough down to. protect the filtering material in the pan neXt below from the pressure of the surrounding formation. This provision prevents packing and hardening of the filtering material.

vThe modification disclosed in Fig. 5 shows how the formation itself may be used somewhat as a filter. Outwardly and downwardly projecting domes 1 0 are arranged .on the well pipe 1. The pans of the above described construction (though of slightly modified construction) are arranged beneath the dome, as shown, the holes 5 in the pipe communicating with the chamber 6b beneath the 'grate 6, also as previously described. The flange 12, forming the upper edge of the pan in this modification, abuts against an annular projection 13 on the under face of the dome, and in this fiange are cut-'away turn be taken from the water at this by means of the filter. This double filtration .of the fluid insures a supply unusually free and the upper surfaces of the domes and alsov portions 14 through which the water iows. The great over-hang ofthe dome 10 holds the surrounding formation 15 away from the pipe. and Vforms a'pocket 16 thereabout,

formation assuming approximately the position indicated in part in Fig'. 5. The water separates froi'i'ithe formation 15, fillsthe pocket 1 6, passes through 'the-'cut-away portions 14 and filters down't'hrough the lfiltering material on the grates into the chamberfrom dirt. Furthermore, only a comparatively shallow pan and a minimum of itei ing.material are needed where the fluid is thus substantially separated from the formation before it reaches the filter proper.

In Fig. 6 Ihave illustrated a further modication of the inventionwhichinvolves the V provision of a secondfset of inlet openings 5a ocated between the under fades of the pans the provision of movable means for directing the iniowing-luid through one or the other set or of closing off entirely all iniow. The

means for accomplishing this result consists of a second perforated pipe 1a located with! in' the outer pipe 1 and adapted to be moved up and down.therein. The perforations in this inner pipe are shown in Fig. 6 in alinement with the perforations 5 of theouter pipe'.

By movin the pipe ladown until the pervforations t erein aline withthe openings 5u in the outer pipe (shown in dotted lines at 5) the How through the holes 5 is cut olf and How through the holes 5a effected. Upon further downward. movement of thepipe la,

flow through both sets of openings may be cut off, in which case the openings in the pipe la will assume some suchv position as is indicated by the dotted lines at 5. In this lat- `ter`position when both sets of inlet openings are .closed, water from the surface may be forced down through the pipe passing out at the bottoni and up around the outside of the pipe and cleaning the apparatus of mud.

I claim: A

1. 'In apparatus for filtering fluid in wells, the combination of a well pipe, a pan, a grate in the pan, grate, the pan and its parts coperatingwith the pipe in such manner as to lter the fluid before it enters the pipe.

2. In well apparatus, the combination of ments and so disposed and .filtering material on the a fluid collecting receptacle, apan, and filtering material in the pan adapted to filter the fluidl prior to its entry into the collecting receptacle with the pan-in about the center thereof, thev 3. In well'V apparatus, the combination'of a well pipe, two or more pans on the pipe `arranged one above the other, and liltering material in the pans, the material in each pan being protected from pressure by the pan next'above.

4. In well apparatus, the combination of a perforated well pipe, twoor more circular pans having central openings, arranged on the pipe one above the other, grates in the pans, and filtering material on the grates, the pansand their contents bein so arranged on the pipe with respect to the and the bottom of its pan.

5. In well apparatus, the combination of a well ipe, two or more pans on the pipe arrangedp one above the other, a grate in each pan', and lugs on the upper and on the under oles as to bring the said holes in each case between the grate 7. Inwell apparatus, the combination of a well pipe having an inlet, achamber about said inlet provided with a filtering element constituting the inlet to said chamber, said filtering element extending horizontally above the inlet in the collecting element.

8. In well apparatus, an apertured casing, and a plurality of superimposed filtering elements, each of said elements forming a protection for the one next below and so disposed that the flow from such elements into the apertured casing is in a downward direction.

9. In well apparatus, an apertured casing, and ajplurality of superimposed filtering elethat the flow from such elements into the apertured casing is in a downward direction.

10. In well apparatus, the combinationQof a well pipe having a plurality of inlets there- .in,-collecting chambers about certain of said i either through inlets having collecting chambers or through inlets not havingcollecting chambers or to cut ofi' admission of fluid.

11. In well apparatus, the combination of' a well pipe having a plurality of inlets therein, collecting' chambers about certain of said inlets, and a' pipe within the well pipe having openings therein, said pipe with its openings Legami being adapted to be moved toI admit fluid ranged exteriorly of the delivery chamber either through inlets having collecting chamand communicating therewith at its lower bers or through inlets not having collecting'y end. chambers. In testimony whereof l have hereunto 5 12. In Well apparatus the combination of signed my name.

a substantially vertical delivery chamber and Y Y an upwardly inclined screening chamber ar- MAHLON 1E. LAYNE. 

